Christmas Games for Families: 16 Easy Games You Can Play Right Now
The best Christmas games for families are the ones you can start in ten seconds with no supplies: a quick round of Christmas would you rather, charades, “hum that carol,” one-minute challenges and a story chain everyone adds to. Below are 16 of them, all clean, all playable right from this page, and all easy for kids, teens and grandparents to join. Game #1 is a ready-to-play Christmas question deck, so you can start right now.
Tap a choice on the card below, then hit next. Pass the phone around the table and everyone gets a turn.
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When is Christmas 2026?
Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, 2026, and Christmas Day is Friday, December 25, so the big day lands on a Friday and rolls right into a long weekend. That’s a lot of family time on the couch, at the table and in the car. Bookmark this page and you’ll have a game ready for every lull, from now through Christmas night.
Game 1: The Christmas would you rather deck
This is the easiest Christmas game for families because there’s nothing to explain. Read the question, everyone picks, and anyone who wants to can say why. Play it from the card above, or read these out loud.
- Would you rather open one present on Christmas Eve or wait and open them all on Christmas morning?
- Would you rather have hot cocoa with marshmallows or hot cocoa with whipped cream?
- Would you rather decorate the tree or decorate the cookies?
- Would you rather go sledding all day or build the biggest snowman on the block?
- Would you rather be one of Santa’s elves or one of his reindeer?
- Would you rather have a white Christmas or a sunny Christmas at the beach?
- Would you rather wear matching family pajamas or an ugly Christmas sweater all day?
- Would you rather eat gingerbread cookies or sugar cookies for breakfast?
- Would you rather sing a carol solo or lead the whole family in one?
- Would you rather wrap every gift in the house or untangle every string of lights?
- Would you rather have a talking snowman or a flying sleigh?
- Would you rather watch a Christmas movie marathon or drive around looking at lights?
- Would you rather get one big gift or lots of little surprises?
- Would you rather make a gingerbread house or a paper snowflake for every window?
- Would you rather have Christmas dinner at noon or late in the evening?
- Would you rather find a mystery gift with your name on it or leave a mystery gift for someone else?
- Would you rather hear sleigh bells on the roof or see a real reindeer in the yard?
- Would you rather have it snow every day in December or never have to shovel again?
- Would you rather bake cookies with Grandma or build a blanket fort with the cousins?
- Would you rather keep a family tradition forever or start a new one this year?
Want more? The Christmas would you rather edition is the big list, and there are decks just for kids, teens and grown-ups.
15 more Christmas games for families (no supplies needed)
Every game here works with nothing but the people in the room. A phone helps for two of them. Each one has a quick “how to play” so you can start without reading rules out loud.
Game 2: Christmas this or that (walk to a side)
Point to one side of the room for each answer: “Lights or tree? Cocoa or cookies?” Everyone walks to their pick. It gets kids moving and works for a crowd of 30 as well as a family of four. There’s a full list in our Christmas this or that questions.
Game 3: Christmas charades
One person acts out a Christmas word with no talking: wrapping a gift, ice skating, a reindeer, building a snowman, hanging stockings. Whoever guesses goes next. For little kids, whisper the word in their ear so they don’t have to read.
Game 4: Guess the pick
Read a would you rather question. One person picks in secret, and everyone else guesses what they chose. Right guesses get a point. It’s funny how often kids know Grandpa better than he thinks they do.
Game 5: Christmas categories
Pick a letter, then go around the circle naming a Christmas thing that starts with it. “S: snowman. Sleigh. Stocking. Star. Sugar cookie.” If you’re stuck for five seconds, you’re out for the round. Easy letters for kids: S, C, G, P. Hard letters for adults: Q, Z, X.
Game 6: Don’t say it
One person describes a Christmas word without saying the word itself or two “banned” words. Describe “Santa” without saying “Santa,” “beard” or “red.” It’s a great one for teens and adults, and older kids pick it up fast.
Game 7: Christmas story chain
Start with “On Christmas Eve, a tiny elf woke up and realized…” Each person adds one sentence. The story always goes somewhere strange, and that’s the fun. Kids love being the one who adds the plot twist.
Game 8: Hum that carol
One person hums a Christmas song, no words allowed. First to name it hums the next one. “Jingle Bells” is too easy after the first round, so the family singers will start pulling out the deep cuts.
Game 9: Christmas twenty questions
Someone thinks of a Christmas thing: a candy cane, the star on top of the tree, a snow globe. Everyone else gets 20 yes-or-no questions to figure it out. Simple, quiet and perfect for the car.
Game 10: One-minute challenges
Set a phone timer for one minute and give a challenge: name as many Christmas songs as you can, as many things you’d find on a tree, or as many Santa’s reindeer as you remember. Highest count wins. You can also play in teams, kids against grown-ups.
Game 11: I spy, Christmas tree edition
Sit around the tree and play I spy with only ornaments. “I spy something shiny and blue.” It’s calm, which makes it a great after-dinner game for little ones.
Game 12: Santa says
It’s Simon says, but Santa’s in charge. “Santa says pat your belly and say ho ho ho.” “Santa says fly like a reindeer.” “Jingle your bells!” Anyone who moves without “Santa says” sits down. Let a kid be Santa.
Game 13: Christmas freeze dance
Play carols from a phone and dance. When the music stops, everyone freezes. Anyone who wiggles helps run the music for the next round, so nobody is ever really “out.”
Game 14: Who am I? Christmas characters
Whisper a Christmas character to one person: Santa, Mrs. Claus, an elf, a gingerbread man, a nutcracker, a snowman who comes to life. They ask the group yes-or-no questions until they figure out who they are. Great with mixed ages, because the little kids get to be the experts.
Game 15: The Christmas alphabet game
Go around the room and work through the alphabet together: “A is for angel. B is for bells. C is for candy cane.” No pressure and no winners, which makes it lovely for preschoolers and grandparents.
Game 16: Two true memories and a tall tale
Each person shares three Christmas memories: two true and one made up. Everyone guesses the tall tale. Grandparents shine at this one, and you’ll hear stories you’ve never heard before.
Which Christmas game fits your group?
| Group | Best games | Why they work |
|---|---|---|
| Little kids (3 to 6) | Santa says, freeze dance, I spy, alphabet game | No reading, lots of moving |
| Kids (7 to 12) | Would you rather deck, charades, who am I?, categories | Quick turns and lots of laughing |
| Teens | Don’t say it, guess the pick, one-minute challenges | A little competition, no cringe |
| Grandparents and older adults | Two true memories, hum that carol, would you rather | Seated, chatty and story-friendly |
| Big mixed crowd | This or that, charades, story chain | Everyone plays at once |
| Christmas dinner table | Would you rather deck, twenty questions, categories | Nobody has to get up |
Christmas table games for between courses
Christmas table games need to be quiet enough for a full table and easy to pause when the food arrives. The question deck is the easiest: put the phone in the middle and pass it after each question. Christmas categories and twenty questions also work without anyone leaving their seat. Keep it to one game per course so the meal still feels like a meal.
Christmas games for seniors and grandparents
For older relatives, pick games that are seated, slower and built around talking: two true memories and a tall tale, hum that carol and the would you rather deck. Read questions out loud in a clear voice and let everyone answer at their own pace. Our list of Christmas party games for seniors has more gentle options.
What most people get wrong about family Christmas games
Trying to run one long, complicated game. Big families have short attention spans in December, between the cooking, the doorbell and the toddler who needs a snack. Short games win. Play two rounds, stop while everyone’s still laughing and come back later. And keep it kind: pick games anyone at the table can answer, so nobody’s put on the spot. For more holiday questions, the holiday would you rather questions and December would you rather lists carry you right through the month. When you’re ready for more, play the full Would You Rather game.
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What are good Christmas games for families?
Quick games with no supplies work best: Christmas would you rather, charades, hum that carol, Christmas categories, twenty questions and Santa says. They're easy to explain and kids, teens and grandparents can all play together.
What Christmas games can you play with no supplies?
Charades, would you rather, this or that, story chain, twenty questions, who am I?, the Christmas alphabet game and Santa says all need nothing but the people in the room. One-minute challenges and freeze dance just need a phone.
What are good Christmas table games?
Pick seated, quiet games you can pause when the food comes: the would you rather question deck, Christmas categories and twenty questions. Pass a phone around the table and play one game per course.
What Christmas games work for kids and family gatherings?
For mixed ages, try charades, who am I? and the would you rather deck. Little kids love Santa says and freeze dance, and grandparents shine at two true memories and a tall tale.
When is Christmas 2026?
Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 24, 2026, and Christmas Day is Friday, December 25.
